Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor

ABSTRACT

An oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor in which at least two oscillating pistons are arranged in a work housing and coupled over gears to reciprocate relative to each other. The work chambers for the corresponding work phases are formed between the oscillating pistons. Self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips are provided between the radial outer edges of the pistons and the internal surface of the work housing, and the pistons are cooled internally by a continuous stream of cooling fluid.

United States Patent Inventor Robert Nicolas Balve Remich 9, rue St. Nicolas, Grand Duchy, Luxembourg App]. No. 879,292 Filed Nov. 24, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Priority Dec. 6, 1968 Germany 57486 OSCILLATING PISTON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 0R COMPRESSOR 8 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

us. or 123/18, 417/481 1m. (:1 ..F02b 53/00, F04c 21/00 Field ofSearcll 123 18, 18 A; 417/481 [56] iierrem Cited UNITED STATES'PATENTS 2,257,884 10 1941 Mize 123 18 3,408,991 11/1968 Davis 123 18 FOREIGN PATENTS 53,580 12 1942 Netherlands l23/I8 861,095 10 1940 France 123 18 Primary ExaminerWendell E. Burns Attorney-John J. Dennemeyer ABSTRACT: An oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor in which at least two oscillating pistons are arranged in a work housing and coupled over gears to reciprocate relative to each other. The work chambers for the corresponding work phases are formed between the oscillating pistons. Self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips are provided between the radial outer edges of the pistons and the internal surface of the work housing, and the pistons are cooled internally by a continuous stream of cooling fluid.

OSCILLA'IING PISTON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE R COMPRESSOR The invention relates to oscillating piston internal combustion engines and compressors and to the arrangement of such a drive.

The conventional piston drives still present undesirable technical deficiencies which result frequently in substantial output losses. Particularly due to the pressures in the piston slide track and the friction exerted thereby within its cylinders causing an increase in the consumption of lubricatingoil it is not possible to obtain either an oil-free combustion in internal combustion engines or the discharge of oil-free pressure air in compressors.

It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement of an oscillating piston drive for manufacturing an internal combustion engine or a compressor which substantially eliminates these deficiencies.

The invention is characterized by at least one oscillating piston pair arranged in a work housing wherein each oscillating piston is connected positively with an oscillating piston shaft extending axially and mounted axially on both sides in the lateral housings, in that the oscillating piston shafts extend at least on one side outside of the lateral housing and are provided with gear-driving elements which are positively coupled at an equal shaft distance in a ratio of l to 1, that an oscillating lever mounted on one of these oscillating piston shafts is connected through a connecting rod with a crankpin of a crankshaft in a positive manner for work transmittal, in that each of the associated oscillating pistons of each oscillating piston pair oscillates per work stroke alternately in a reciprocating manner free of any friction on all sides, that volumetrically varying work chambers are formed between the one or more work surfaces of the oscillating pistons and that for their separation a chamber separating element is provided which extends radially inwardly in the center of the work housing axially and is attached in a sealing manner on both sides axially to the surfaces of the two lateral housings facing the work housing, wherein the chamber separating element is provided with a number of axially extending circular grooves corresponding to the number of oscillating pistons in which the corresponding oscillating piston shafts oscillate without friction and that sealing strips are provided at the respective gaps between the front side of the oscillating pistons and the inner housing track, the outer surface of the oscillating piston shafts and the respective circular grooves, and on both sides between the inner surfaces of the lateral housings and the oscillating pistons.

In accordance with the invention, self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips are provided at the gaps between the inner surface of the cavity in the housing and the radial outer ends of the oscillating pistons and cooling fluid passages are formed in the separating member and the oscillating for directing a continuous flow of cooling fluid through these parts to thereby control their temperature and thermal expansion.

As specific example an oscillating piston drive with two oscillating piston pairs is given which form together four work chambers in the work housing illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described hereafter in greater detail.

As may be seen from the single FIGURE of the drawing the drive consists of two oscillating piston pairs comprising the oscillating pistons 1, 2, 3 and 4 which are arranged inside the work housing 9 radially to the four segments 5, 6, 7 and 8 offset by 90". Each of the four oscillating pistons is positively connected to an oscillating piston shaft which is mounted axially on both sides in the lateral housings. The four oscillating piston shafts extend on one side outside of the work housing 9 while at their ends a gear 10, 11, 12 and 13 respectively or gear segments are fixed which are coupled for positive rotation in a ratio of l to 1 with an equal shaft distance. Also other known control members may be used for this purpose. The coupling is so designed that the oscillating pistons l and 2 and the oscillating pistons 3 and 4 of each oscillating piston pair comprise an angle of 180 each, wherein the oscillating pistons l and 4 and the oscillating pistons 2 and 3 are opposed parallel to each other. The work chambers 14 and 15 located between the work surfaces of the oscillating pistons 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 define a space required for the particular compression ratio. Between the work surfaces of the oscillating pistons 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 the work chambers 16 and 17 are arranged.

It will thus be observed that by means of the four oscillating pistons l, 2, 3, and 4 four work chambers 14, 15, 16 and 17 will be formed in the work housing 9 which operate independently of each other (see the figure), wherein all the oscillating pistons are sealed off axially on both sides and at the front side radially by means of linear hard carbon sealing strips from the surrounding housing walls. It is to be noted that the sealing strips do not require any lubrication. For the mutual sealing of the work chambers a chamber-separating element 22 is mounted in the center of the work housing 9 and is fixed in a surface-fitting manner axially relative to each inner end face side of each lateral housing. The chamber-separating element 22 is provided at its outer surface along its entire axial length with four circular grooves 23, 24, 25 and 26 offset by within which the outer surfaces of the oscillating piston shafts may oscillate freely and without friction. To seal off these oscillating gaps are provided also in the circular grooves 23, 24, 25 and 26 axially extending linear hard carbon sealing strips 27 which are pressed down by means of spring pressure against the outer surfaces of the oscillating piston shafts. A lubrication of the sealing strips is also not required here. For the axial sealing on both sides of each oscillating piston shaft relative to the two lateral housings cylindrical bores are provided within which axially movable nonoscillating hard carbon sealing rings are fitted which are pressed by means of spring pressure axially centrally against the circular sealing surfaces 31 of the oscillating 'piston shafts. For the heat conduction away from the oscillating pistons and oscillating piston shafts as well as the chamber-separating element 22 they are provided with suitable .hollow chambers which are traversed continuously by cooling oil.

The operating method of an oscillating piston drive will be described briefly hereafter as an example in connection with an internal combustion engine. It is clear to any person skilled in the art that a drive according to this description may also be used in connection with compressors.

For the purpose of illustration, the inlet and outlet valves in the work chamber 14 are closed, and both oscillating pistons I and 4 have brought the air or the fuel-air mixture taken in to the final compression. In the work chamber 16 the intake stroke is completed and is positioned at compression start. In the work chamber 15 the output stroke is completed and is positioned at intake stroke start and in the work chamber 17 the work stroke is completed and is positioned at output start. In this condition the work stroke is initiated by the firing in the work chamber 14. Both oscillating pistons 1 and 4 are pushed apart and produce work. The generated total power of both oscillating pistons is transferred now due to their coupling over gears 10, 11, 12 and 13 by means of an oscillating lever which is positively connected with the oscillating piston shaft of the oscillating piston 2 over the connecting rod 18 to the crankpin 21 of the crankshaft 19. During this operation all the oscillating pistons I, 2, 3 and 4 swing in the direction of the arrows B by 90, wherein the crankpin 21 of the crankshaft 19 makes a half revolution from C to D. In this manner the compression stroke is produced in the work chamber 16, the intake stroke in the work chamber 15 and the output stroke in the work chamber 17. During the next half revolution of the crankpin 21 from D to C all the oscillating pistons swing back in the direction of the arrow A. The firing sequences of all the chambers thus follow in succession so that at each crankshaft revolution a work stroke takes place wherein the required gas control of each work chamber takes place in a known manner by means of inlet and outlet valves.

In case the work output is transferred in the reverse sense from the outside to the crankshaft 19 the air taken in is compressed in the individual work chambers by the oscillating piston-work surfaces when the oscillating piston drive is employed as a compressor, in which case automatically operating inlet and outlet valves are used in a known manner to control the air.

The advantages sought with this invention consist essentially in that these novel machines require with a smaller amount of individual parts a smaller total space, wherein the masses that are moved are smaller with the same total cubic capacity relative to a conventional piston engine, and an oil consumption in the work chambers is excluded. Furthermore, there is required for example for an oscillating piston drive which is provided with two oscillating piston pairs and has thus four work chambers only one connecting rod and one crank pin so that per revolution with a substantially shorter crankshaft two work-performing useful strokes are produced in internal combustion engines, and four useful strokes per revolution in compressors. in addition, the oil consumption is limited to the crank drive and the associated valve control members so that the periodic oil change for these members need be made only at very extended intervals.

What we claim is: l. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor comprising in combination:

a housing defining an inner cavity concentric to an axis; a central separating member extending axially in the center of said cavity and along said axis and fixed at both ends in a sealing manner on lateral walls of the housing;

at least a pair of oscillating piston shafts, each shaft extending through a substantially semicircular groove formed in the central separating member and extending substantially parallel with respect to the axis of the separating member, whereby the piston shafts are rotatably mounted at both ends in the lateral housing walls to swing substantially without friction in the grooves formed in the separating member; at least one pair of oscillating pistons positively connected to the piston shafts, the oscillating pistons being adapted to move in an oscillating rotary motion relative to each other during each stroke to define work chambers which vary alternatively in volume during the oscillating rotary motion of the piston shafts and pistons attached thereto;

inlet and outlet valves for controlling the flow of gas into and out of the work chambers;

gear drive means mounted on each piston shaft on at least one end which projects through one of the lateral walls of the housing, the gear means being coupled positively to each other with the same interval in the ratio or 1 to 1;

an oscillating rod pivotally connected at one end to one of the piston shafts and at the opposite end to a crankshaft for effecting work transfer;

self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips provided at the gaps between the inner surface of the cavity in the housing and the radial outer ends of the pistons, between the outer surfaces of the oscillating piston shafts and the semicircular grooves in the separating member and both sides between the inner surfaces of the lateral housing walls and the oscillating pistons and piston shafts; and

cooling fluid passages formed in the separating member and the oscillating pistons for directing a continuous flow of a cooling fluid through these pans to thereby control the temperature and the thermal expansion of the separating member and oscillating piston.

2. Oscillating piston drive according to claim 1 wherein the self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips at the gaps between the radial outer ends of the pistons and the inner surface of the cavity are disposed in grooves formed in the pistons.

3. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the gear drive means is a conventional gear.

4, Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the gear drive means is a conventional gear segment.

5. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or accordingto claim 1, characterizedin that during operation with two oscillating piston pairs in a circular-type housing each oscillating piston of an oscillating pair reciprocates by 90 so that the associated oscillating pistons are located parallel opposite each other during the one work stroke and are offset by l during the subsequent work stroke.

6. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that in each circular groove at least one axially extending notch is provided in which a hard carbon sealing strip is fitted.

7. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that for the axial sealing on both sides of each oscillating piston shaft from two lateral housings nonoscillating hard carbon sealing rings are arranged in the latter centrally to the oscillating piston shafts which are pressed by means of spring pressure axially on the annular sealing surfaces of the oscillating piston shafts.

8. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that each oscillating piston profile as well as its work surface are profiled selectively according to the particular compression level and for accommodating the required inlet and outlet valves in the work chambers.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,612 ,007 Dated October 12 1971 Robert Balve Inventor-(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [33], "Germany" should read Luxembourg Signed and sealed this 12th day of September 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor comprising in combination: a housing defining an inner cavity concentric to an axis; a central separating member extending axially in the center of said cavity and along said axis and fixed at both ends in a sealing manner on lateral walls of the housing; at least a pair of oscillating piston shafts, each shaft extending through a substantially semicircular groove formed in the central separating member and extending substantially parallel with respect to the axis of the separating member, whereby the piston shafts are rotatably mounted at both ends in the lateral housing walls to swing substantially without friction in the grooves formed in the separating member; at least one pair of oscillating pistons positively connected to the piston shafts, the oscillating pistons being adapted to move in an oscillating rotary motion relative to each other during each stroke to define work chambers which vary alternatively in volume during the oscillating rotary motion of the piston shafts and pistons attached thereto; inlet and outlet valves for controlling the flow of gas into and out of the work chambers; gear drive means mounted on each piston shaft on at least one end which projects through one of the lateral walls of the housing, the gear means being coupled positively to each other with the same interval in the ratio or 1 to 1; an oscillating rod pivotally connected at one end to one of the piston shafts and at the opposite end to a crankshaft for effecting work transfer; self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips provided at the gaps between the inner surface of the cavity in the housing and the radial outer ends of the pistons, between the outer surfaces of the oscillating piston shafts and the semicircular grooves in the separating member and both sides between the inner surfaces of the lateral housing walls and the oscillating pistons and piston shafts; and cooling fluid passages formed in the separating member and the oscillating pistons for directing a continuous flow of a cooling fluid through these parts to thereby control the temperature and the thermal expansion of the separating member and oscillating piston.
 2. Oscillating piston drive according to claim 1 wherein the self-lubricating hard carbon sealing strips at the gaps between the radial outer ends of the pistons and the inner surface of the cavity are disposed in grooves formed in the pistons.
 3. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the gear drive means is a conventional gear.
 4. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that the gear drive means is a conventional gear segment.
 5. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or according to claim 1, characterized in that during operation with two oscillating piston pairs in a circular-type housing each oscillating piston of an oscillating pair reciprocates by 90* so that the associated oscillating pistons are located parallel opposite each other during the one work stroke and are offset by 180* during the subsequent work stroke.
 6. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that in each circular groove at least one axially extending notch is provided in which a hard carbon sealing strip is fitted.
 7. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that for the axial sealing on both sides of each oscillating piston shaft from two lateral housings nonoscillating hard carbon sealing rings are arranged in the latter centrally to the oscillating piston shafts which are pressed by means of spring pressure axially on the annular sealing surfaces of the oscillating piston shafts.
 8. Oscillating piston internal combustion engine or compressor according to claim 1, characterized in that each oscillating piston profile as well as its work surface are profiled selectively according to the particular compression level and for accommodating the required inlet and outlet valves in the work chambers. 